


The Unforgivable

by AndrewSucks, DeathXoXLife



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Violence, Comfort, Gen, Gun Violence, Heavy Angst, Hurt Keith (Voltron), Hurt Lance (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Lance (Voltron), Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, Violence, klance, platonic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2017-09-16
Packaged: 2018-12-14 18:26:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11788881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AndrewSucks/pseuds/AndrewSucks, https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeathXoXLife/pseuds/DeathXoXLife
Summary: “Oh sorry Keith! I didn't mean to almost hit you!” Lance says instantly after.“It’s fine Lance, just… just try to be more careful. Lotor is somewhere out here so we need to be cautious.”And as if the devil himself had heard him, a gigantic ship emerges slowly from the fog. Lotor had somehow found them.





	1. Chapter 1

Lance’s laugh echoed throughout the dining room as another ball of food goo flew through the air and crashed onto the wall above his head with a loud splat! The team had split up into groups of two leaving Coran to cautiously supervise them. Hunk and Lance were using the tipped over table as cover and a safe place to store their ammunition. Taking a green sphere in each of his hands Lance carefully peeked over the table. Keith and Allura were staring eachother down, hands raised and ready to fire. Pidge was running around like a mad man on Shiro’s heels with a terrifying grin on her face while Shiro just looked like he was ready to drop dead. Ever since the first grand food goo war the team had decided that this was a great way to work on their teamwork skills.  
Lance knew he would have to be quick for his plan to work. Taking a deep breath and sending a quick look at Hunk over his shoulder he aimed and threw the first ball at Allura. He followed it by expertly aiming at Keith and his ridiculous mullet. An outraged cry left the Altean’s mouth as she looked over at him in disbelief. The ball of goo had landed in her hair. Keith on the other hand wasted no time in firing back at Lance. A glare darkened his features as he missed just by a hair's width. The cocky grin on Lance’s face disappeared just as fast as it had appeared when a ball of goop slammed right into his face. Pidge cheered gleefully off to his left, clearly happy with her work. Luckily for Lance, Hunk had his back and shot at her with his rapid fire. Time passed by fairly quickly with screams of anguish and cries of victory filling the room.  
The war went on for about another hour before they all were completely covered in green from head to toe and decided that they were all done for the day. Lance hummed a little tune while he made his way to the locker room. Pidge and Hunk trailed behind him picking little globs of goo out of each other’s hair like a pair a monkeys.The thought brought a small smile to Lance’s lips as he held the door open for them. The two ran in arguing about which shower they wanted. Shiro entered next offering a quiet thank you and a smile. Lance’s eyes couldn’t help but linger on his form. It had only been about a month since they had gotten Shiro back. No matter how many times the older man has said he was alright the others couldn't help but worry about him. Everytime Lance looked at Shiro he could hear Keith's words echoing in his mind.  
“What are you talking about?”  
Lance knew that even though Shiro couldn’t get the Black lion to respond he eventually would and Keith would gladly take Red back. Lance felt like he was just counting the days he got to spend inside of the Red lion. He had already came up with more than a dozen ways he could help out the team when he was no longer a paladin. No matter how many things he thought of he couldn't help but feel useless. Helpless. His heart ached as his last moments with Blue flashed through his mind. He thought he would always be her pilot. It had hurt him to leave her and now he was hurting with the knowledge that he would soon have to leave the Red lion. Lance was snapped out of his thoughts as Keith slammed into him. The two of them ended up tangled up on the ground.  
“What the hell, Keith!” he exclaimed

“It's not my fault the food goo is all over the floor!” Keith glared over at him

“Well maybe you shouldn't have gotten it on the floor.”

“I’m not the only one covered in it, idiot.” The dark haired boy snarled.

Lance huffed out a frustrated breath and tried to stand up only to slip and fall on top of Keith. The smaller boy grunted as Lance’s weight fell onto him. Rolling his eyes Keith used all his strength to push Lance off of him as hard as he could. The blue eyed boy yelped at the sudden movement. With one last glare Keith got up and made his way into a shower stall. That guy, I swear. After that Lance quickly showered and got dressed for bed. As always Lance liked to take his time cleaning up and was the last one out. He heard laughter while starting towards his room once he left the locker room. He froze for a second, thinking over if he should join the team for a little while longer while they relaxed in the lounge. A wave of exhaustion hit him suddenly and he decided it’d be best for him to just go to bed. He didn’t realise just how tired he was until minutes later when he entered his room. A yawn passed through his lips as his head hit his pillow. He closed his eyes, ready to get his well deserved sleep when an alarm sounded through his room.  
“Paladins!”, Coran’s voice was distraught, “We are under attack by Lotor. Hurry to your lions!”  
The blue paladin was up on his feet and running out of his room within seconds. Lance and everyone else ran to their hangars. Once Lance got to his lion Allura stopped him dead in his tracks before he could enter.  
“Lance?” She said while running into the hangar 

“Allura? What are you doing here?” 

“Lance, this is the hangar for the blue lion.” 

Lance looked away from Allura and realized he was indeed, in the hangar for the blue lion. He hadn't realized he'd made his way there.  
“Oh, sorry…” He said in a whisper. 

“Lance! Allura! Where are you guys?! We need you out here!” Keith exclaimed with a battle being heard in the background.

“Sorry Keith! We'll be out there in a bit! Lance got a bit lost!” 

“Are you joking?! Aagh, just hurry and get out here!” 

“Hurry and get to the red lion Lance. We mustn't waste more time.” Allura says while running into blue 

Once Lance got inside the red lion, he sat there. He couldn't help but think how much of a burden he was to the team. Am I really needed? I'm not that much of importance am I?  
A good 3 minutes passed and Lance was snapped out of his thoughts with a loud voice in his ear.  
“Lance, where are you?! Stop messing around! You're not being very useful right now!” Keith didn't sound very happy. Annoyance and anger is better to describe the tone. 

You're not being very useful… That sentence echoed through his head over and over… He flew out of the hangar, hands gripping the controls to the lion. He joined the others and everyone was relieved, Keith not so happy, but relieved nonetheless. Lance cheered up a bit hearing them happy at his arrival.  
About a good hour into the battle the Galras had decided to retreat. Keith had told the others to do the same.  
“Alright everyone, let's head back”! While turning back, Keith couldn't help but notice a small Galra aircraft heading towards him. He immediately turned back around. The others had yelled after him but he didn't listen. He knew that this aircraft was none other than Lotor. He was determined to get him this time.

5 minutes had passed and he realized that this was in fact, a trap. He has been lead to a planet with fog so dense you'd think you had no hand if you held it in front of you.  
“God damnit!! Do I ever learn from my mistakes!?” He yelled at himself, thinking no one was around. 

“No, doesn't seem like you do.” Lance said with a hint of humor. 

Keith hadn't realized Lance followed him. Were the others with him as well?  
“Lance?! Why did you follow me? Where are the others?” 

“The others stayed behind due to Alluras lion being a bit more beat up. And why I followed you? I actually don't know. It was just an instinct to do so.” Lance just sat there thinking to himself, why did I follow him?. Now the red and blue paladin are stranded in an unknown planet where they can barely see what's in front of them. Keith eventually finds Lance in all the fog.  
“Ok we should have our lions rest a bit before getting out of here.” Keith saying after setting his lion once he found the ground.  
Lance doing the same almost knocking into the black lion.  
“Oh sorry Keith! I didn't mean to almost hit you!” Lance says instantly after.  
“It’s fine Lance, just… just try to be more careful. Lotor is somewhere out here so we need to be cautious.” 

And as if the devil himself had heard him, a gigantic ship emerges slowly from the fog. Lotor had somehow found them.  
“Give us a break… Lance, hurry start your lion!”  
Both boys had tried starting their lions but to no avail.  
“Keith! Red isn't starting!” Lance exclaimed with worry. “Keith?”  
No answer. With no warning, he felt a cloth cover his mouth and he was immediately unconscious.


	2. Chapter 2

Black…. Pitch black… That's all he can see right now… Lance had woken up with a massive headache. He's on a cold concrete floor. He tries to move his arms but his hands seem to be cuffed.  
“Where am I?” He groans. The headache just gets worse when sitting upright.  
He lays back down on his side. Looking towards the left he notices a figure in front of him. He tries to make out who it could be. His eyes adjust a bit more to the darkness and he sees that it's just Keith. He still seems to be unconscious. Lance can't help but think he looks peaceful, though the situation they're in isn't so peaceful. Lance takes this moment to say a few things to him.  
“Hey Keith, I know you're still unconscious and all and probably can't even hear me but I just want to say thank you. Thank you for being a great leader for Voltron when Shiro was gone. Thanks for being a great leader now, even though you kind of got us kidnapped. I know on the surface it seems like I hate you, but I really don't… I have a lot of respect for you man… And I really do care for you.”  
Lance pauses for a moment.  
“We're all like family now. So I can't have anything happen to anyone I care about… So while we're here, I'm going to do everything I can to protect you… We make a great team and if anything happens to you… I won't be able to forgive myself… Even the others probably won't forgive me…”  
“I'll do all I can to protect you too Lance. Bring hell to anyone who dares hurt our sharpshooter.” Keith smiles and opens his eyes.

“Oh, whoa! Uh, Keith! Glad to see you're alive! Uhm… How much of that did you hear?” Lance is very happy the room was pitch black because at that moment his face couldn't have been any redder than a tomato. 

“Only to where you said we make a great team. You're right Lance, we are a great team. And nothing will happen to us. It's ok Lance, we have each other's back.” Keith actually did hear everything. And he couldn't help but get a tint of red on his cheeks. 

Keith took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Alright. Concentrate Keith. We need to figure out what's going on and where exactly we are. Most importantly we need to figure out a way to escape.” He tried moving his arms a bit to get a feel for how tight the restraints were. He then noticed his legs were bound together too. “Great.” He cursed himself and the entire universe for being too impulsive. Once again it had been his fault and now he and Lance are lost and in danger. 

“Alright Keith, we need a plan. Do you have any ideas?” The boy next to him asked.

“Maybe we could try to search around the room and see if we can find anything that we could use to remove the cuffs?”

“Yes. Let's just roll all around the room or pretend we're snakes and slither around.”

“Lance.” He said in a warning tone.

Okay so maybe Lance had a point. It wouldn't be easy for them to move around the room. Keith could feel himself starting to panic slightly. He knew he needed to stay calm but it was hard when there wasn't anyway to get their limbs free. He gritted his teeth and put his mind to work. The two sat in silence trying to think of a way for them to escape. Just as soon as an idea had popped into his head the door in their dark room was thrown open. The sudden intrusion of light caused both of the boys to wince and squint their eyes. A dark form stood in the doorway. They didn’t even have to guess who it was as the figure continued to make its way into the room. Prince Lotor.  
Now that he could finally see properly Keith took a moment to look over at Lance. His hair was messy and he looked incredibly tired. Keith could see where bruises had started to form on the boy’s face. The battle they had before they had gotten captured had been hard on all of them. He wouldn’t be surprised if his appearance mirrored Lance’s. 

“Hello, paladins.” Lotor’s voice sent shivers down Keith’s spine. There was nothing more that Keith wanted to do in that very movement than punch the stupid smirk off of his face. Neither of the boys had time to say anything before Lotor was talking again.

“You have no idea how happy I am to have you two here. Voltron will be useless without its leader and,” he looked at Lance mockingly, “you. Now, why don't we have a little fun. I suggest we play a game. This place won't do though, it's far too small for what I have planned.”

Two of Lotor’s generals stepped into the cell. Keith and Lance struggled against them as they began to drag them out. Keith was able to get himself free of Acxa’s grip which proved to be useless as her foot connected with his jaw seconds later. He heard Lance call out his name somewhere to his left. Anger flooded his veins. He twisted his body until he could see her face and did the only thing he could think of at the moment. He spit. This of course earned him another kick but he didn’t care because he was satisfied with the disgusted look that had crossed her face. Keith swore he heard her growl as she grabbed him by the collar and began dragging him off again. His head was spinning and his jaw ached but that didn’t mean he’d go without struggling any further. He continued to thrash, kick, and attempt to bite the general while she kept them moving. From what he could hear it seemed like Lance was doing the same thing. He moved around more until he could see Lance. Zethird was in front of them and had thrown him over her shoulder. The boy was squirming like some type of possessed worm. Despite their current situation Keith couldn't help but think that it was kind of funny. 

They soon gave up once they arrived to their destination. A large room with large pillars on each side of the walls and in the back was a throne-like chair. There is where Lotor went to sit. Zethrid dropped Lance onto the ground. The poor boy hit the ground with a loud thud. Acxa put Keith right next him. Both boys were now on there knees in front of Lotor. Lotor with a smirk on his face. He looked down at the boys.  
“Alright. So far so good. You boys having fun yet?” That smirk only grew. 

“What do you want from us?!” The red paladin said through gritted teeth.  
“I told you already! I want to play a game with you boys!” He exclaimed in such a cheerful tone. It sent shivers down Lance’s spine.  
“What kind of game?” Lance asked. Lotor replied with “A game that could lead either to a minor injury… Or death!” Both boys didn't like where this was going… 

“Lance, I hear that you're the sharpshooter. Is that correct?” Lance kept quiet… “I'll take that as a yes. Untie him!”  
Zethrid took the restraints off his hands and legs.  
“What about Keith? Let him go too!” Lance says while taking a step forward only to be held back by Zethrid. “Oh no, I'm afraid that's not how this game works. Narti!!” Lotor calls for Narti and in the blink of an eye she's in the room. 

 

“Alright Lance, the way this game is if you do what I tell you, you can leave.” Lotor looked at the helpless paladin on the ground.  
“Zethrid! Acxa!” Both generals went to Keith’s side and held him down by his shoulders. Keith would've tried to struggle from their grip but it would have been no use.  
“What about Keith? I'm not leaving without Keith!” Lance wasn't leaving without him no matter what.  
“Let me finish.” Lotor got up and walked right up to Lance. He takes his red bayard and places it in his hand. “Only you can leave if you shoot the leader of Voltron.” 

Both paladin’s went wide eyed. Looking at each other, Lance shaking his head no.  
“No… No! No no no no! I can't! I won't do it!” Lance was almost in tears. There has to be another way for both of them to leave. “Is there something else? For both of us to leave?” 

“Oh little blue, there's no other way I'm afraid.” Lotor was finding humor in this. “If you can't do it, we'll help you! Narti, it's all up to you now!” Lotor sat back down, watching in amusement. 

Narti held onto Lance's shoulders. Lance felt himself losing control. “No!!! You can't make me! Please don't make me do this! No!”  
“Lance! It's ok! Listen to me!” Keith is trying to hold back tears. “You and everyone else were like family to me. Please, tell everyone I loved them…” 

Lance’s bayard had turned into his gun. He's lost all control… There's no fighting back.  
Keith continued “Tell Allura,”  
Narti slowly made him aim straight at Keith. “Shiro and Coran”  
Keith had tears streaming down his face.  
“Pidge and Hunk”  
Narti was ready to make him fire. Despite Lance not being in control, tears were still running down his face. He thought to himself  
“ I'm so very sorry Keith… I wasn't able to protect you… The others won't forgive me for this…”  
“And you Lance. I loved you too.” Keith's voice cracked with that last one. 

Suddenly a loud bang filled the room… Then silence… The sound of sobbing... Lance was in full control now. Narti had backed away. Lance had sunk to the floor on his hands and knees.  
“I'm sorry!! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so very sorry!” He sobbed uncontrollably, repeating himself over and over. Everything happened so fast. Looking at the floor he saw a pool of blood slowly creeping towards him. He looked to see where it was coming from…. He cried more at the sight of Keith’s lifeless body lying in a pool of blood. 

“No! Please no!! Keith!” Lance fell back. He was hoping this was all just a dream. A bad dream that he'll wake up from. Next thing he sees is black. He felt the same cloth over his mouth and passed out...


	3. Chapter 3

    Lance doesn't know how much time has passed when he wakes up. His head feels foggy and his body is shaking from the cold air surrounding him. At least he thinks it's because of that. He looks around the dark cell with a feeling that he's missing something. Something important. He wiggles his wrist and ankles to find them both cuffed.  _ No surprise there.  _ His jaw clenches as he begins to remember what he had done. His stomach churns and he has to swallow a couple of times to try to wash the new taste of bile out of his mouth. Keith’s desperate voice and pale limp figure fill his mind in a sudden flash. Keith, the red paladin, his supposed rival, was now dead and it was all his fault. If only he had fought a little harder against the hold Narti had over his mind maybe Keith would still be here by his side. 

 

Thick, hot tears run rapidly down his face without him noticing. A million thoughts swarm around in his head. _ What will we do without keith?  What will happen to voltron? Will we have to find a new red paladin? _ His veins filled with guilt as his thoughts continued to run wild. The faces of the other paladins and the Alteans staring at him in horror as he tells him what happened appears in his head and brands an ugly image onto his mind.  _ They’ll all hate me now. They’ll think I’m some sort of monster.  _ Lance finds it harder to breathe as air leaves his lungs in short, quick pants. The air feels too heavy and stiff like the dread settling in the pit of his stomach. He felt sick and couldn’t keep up with all his emotions. Before he knew it Lance was leaned over to the side as he emptied his stomach out onto the floor beside him. Images of Keith danced in his head as Lotor’s cruel laugh rang in his ears. Lance’s head shot up and he quickly looked around the room only to realize it was just his mind playing tricks on him.  _ I'm losing it,  _ he thought. 

 

Part of him wished to never see Lotor’s disgusting face ever again while the other part wished that he could just so he could tear it to shreds. Lance knew he had to escape and make it back to the team but he couldn't find it in him to move a muscle. Anger burned inside his body, stronger than his grief or guilt, and the stench of his own vomit was starting to become overwhelming and yet his body did not want to move. Everything inside him was screaming for one thing or another, his thoughts had not yet calmed. He started taking deep breathes to try to gain control of himself but they would each come out stuttering. He noticed that for the first time in a long time he was truly alone. There was nobody by his side, no distant voices and laughter of his friends, of his  _ family _ , bouncing off the halls, no colorful space mice running around him. Lance was alone in a dark cold cell with his limbs all tied up and he couldn't get a hold on himself. It felt like there was a black hole sucking him further and further into his despair. He was spiraling out of control. His body was paralyzed while his mind was nothing but a hurricane of thoughts. 

 

“I’m losing it“, his voice broke in the empty room before heavy sobs rushed through his mouth.

 

Lotor smiled to himself in satisfaction as he watched Lance’s internal struggled on the brightly lit screen in front of him. His plan had gone exactly to his liking. He continued to watch the poor blue paladin for a moment longer before he switched his focus onto another screen. The cell looked exactly like the one Lance was in except this one held the body of the red paladin. Though it was a little hard to see Lotor could make out the shaky breathes going in and out of the injured boy. The shot hadn’t killed him, Narti had made sure of that, but it was something that was definitely going to take a long time to recover from, both psychically and mentally. Lotor needed the red paladin for his future plans to gain control over voltron. He was already reveling in the idea of voltron mourning over the paladin without even knowing he was actually alive. He was already getting a kick out of seeing Lance fall apart and he couldn't wait to see the others do the same. 

 

“It all went well.” Acxa’s voice knocked him out of his thoughts.

 

“Extremely well,” Lotor agreed. “They won’t be able to recover from this so easily. The lions are already ours.” 

 

“How long are we going to wait before we let the blue paladin escape?”

 

“We’ll just wait for him to make the first move. Make sure you all give him a good fight. Just because we’re letting him go doesn’t mean we’ll let him go easily. Are there lions still stable?”

 

“For now, though the red one did give us some trouble earlier. She must sense he’s still alive.”

 

Lotor thought for a moment. “We must be careful with that one. I’ve heard about how protective she is of her paladin. Now, go fetch the others, we have we have more work to do.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

Lotor’s eyes went back the Keith’s screen and was happy to see him begin to move around a bit. They would not heal him completely but just enough so he wouldn't die before they got what they wanted out of him. Lotor had heard rumours of him being part Galra and if Voltron’s sudden involvement with the Blade of Malmora had anything to do with it he’d say the rumours were true.  _ This is going to be fun,  _ he thought. 

 

          About an hour or so passes by and the blue paladin is still mourning over the fact he killed his friend.  _ What are the others going to think? Will they hate me? Am I going to get kicked out of Voltron?  _ Kicked from Voltron… Being hated by the people that are practically his second family. Silent sobs escaping his mouth. 

 

          A good five minutes passes by and Lance just sits in silence. He doesn't know what to do. That moment just keeps replaying in his head over and over. He may not have been in control but he was still able to see and remember everything. He remembers Keith's face, tears running down his face. He remembers how he said that Allura, Coran, and the paladins were his family. How he said he loved everyone… How he said he loved Lance… Then he remembers how Keith had fell to his side, a pool of blood forming… 

 

         Lance tries his best to erase the images of Keith's lifeless body from his mind. Trying to pull himself together, he tries to think of a plan to escape. For the longest time his mind is blank. 


End file.
